Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Several years ago, Steve Williams told me that exhaust resonators came on the 56 Caribbeans and not the 55s.
This conversation came about because I had just installed a new exhaust system on my 55 and it came with the resonators.
Does anyone have any comment?

Both my '56 Patricians had resonators, if that helps.

Question is do 55 Pat/400 have them either. Never looked that closely but the resonator is listed as outlet pipe in manual. Different numbers for lower cars but 5580 had a separate number, no mention of 5588 so assume it used the same. 56 has a different number and is listed as 5680-88.

Parts book listings are a bit vague - perhaps because the resonator and its inlet and outlet pipes appear to have been serviced as a welded assembly.

Check the Specifications section of the 1955-56 service manual (which can be downloaded from this site), under the Engine heading. It shows that ALL 1955 and 1956 Packard and Clipper models with a dual exhaust system should have come from the factory with resonators (noted as "silencers") - EXCEPT the 5540 chassis, which was shared between the Clipper Super (5542-5547) and Deluxe (5522) bodies. The 1955 Clipper Deluxe, which was not available with Torsion-Level Suspension, only came with a single exhaust. However, the parts book illustration for single exhaust is shown for the 1956 Clipper Deluxe (5622) and WITH a resonator.

I think some additional confusion arises because somewhere along the line, as the sun set on the factory parts supply chain, tailpipes became available (likely through the aftermarket) for these cars that eliminated the resonator, saving $$$ - an alternative that vendors continue to offer to this day.

I've seen plenty of V8 Packards with those eliminators, but the resonator makes for an incredibly quiet exhaust.

My 55 pat came with them badly rusted and had them replaced, plenty of room back there

I have one on my '55 Clipper Super. it's pretty old and beat up..then again so am I.

none of my three have them, including the 55 pat with 20,000 miles.

One reason may cars don't have them today is that the various vendors who make/supply replacement exhaust systems offer them w/o the resonators because so many folks balked at the additional cost. My old Walker catalog also shows the option of resonator-eliminator pipes and I believe Maremount did as well.

owen, how long have delete systems been availible? My parts car has been sitting since the mid 80s at least.

Can't say for sure but the Walker catalog is dated 1964. And I believe Kepich Exhaust and others today continue to offer them with and w/o resonators.